Thoughts on the name Augustus (UK)

[Iwouldliketogoonholiday]

Thoughts on the name Augustus for a baby boy. We live in the UK. Please be really honest. If you do or don't like it your reasons would be helpful. Any other suggestions of a similar vibe.

Thanks

I quite like it and my mind didn't go to Augustus Gloop. But if you don't like Gus or Augie, I don't think you can use it. The Hoffman poem is here.

I will go against the grain here and say I like it and didn't think Charlie and the chocolate factory.

My immediate association is Augustus Gloop with the negative image of him as a greedy boy who is not kind.
But I do like the sounds in the name. Maybe Auguste? And I love Gus as a nickname. We know an Augustine. A bold choice but seems to be fine as a name.

Xavier is lovely. I don’t like Augustus - it just seems too frilly somehow. Zachariah is okay, if a bit of a mouthful.

They're very different names. Augustus is pompous.
Xavier is a footballer name.
I think Sebastian is closer to Augustus eight stone if the bad connotations. And 'Seb' is cool nickname.

Augustus sounds too pompous to me, and I’m not keen on the shortenings. August is better because it sounds less pompous and is short enough to not be shortened automatically.

I like Austin that you mentioned above, and also Xavier.

How interesting, I had this name on my list for second names (incl Augustine & August) but we didn't go with it in the end. Did not know the chocolate factory connection at all, but then I didn't enjoy the film growing up. My DH didn't mention it either.

What about Maximilian shortened to Max?

August has a completely different feel and sound. The emphasis is on the Aug not the Gus which is a big improvement.

Maybe you'd like Clement, Conrad, Xander.

Yes to this.

Augustus is a great theoretical name.
For RL xavier hands down. Its a great name.
Also dont mind austin.

Another one who likes August over Augustus here.

I knew of a Constantine once. The child hated it and got teased so badly they'd changed it before secondary school. Could be dependent on location though. I expect it'd go down better in cosmopolitan areas.

Quiet Fun

My son Augustus, in the street, one day,
Was feeling quite exceptionally merry.
A stranger asked him: “Can you tell me, pray,
The quickest way to Brompton Cemetery?”
“The quickest way? You bet I can!” said Gus,
And pushed the fellow underneath a bus.

Whatever people say about my son
He does enjoy his little bit of fun.

— Harry Graham

Horrid! I had an uncle Gus,( short for Augustus) he was a lovely, lovely man but I really don't like the name. I do admit that I really dislike what I call the Victorian names. Zachariah is much better.

I do like August, but you don't. Problem with Augustus is that Charlie is still a current and well read book. Often on here I see people say you can't use that name because of some from the 1940's-80's and it just won't mean anything to someone born in the 2020's. But Augustus will totally be a reason to pick on them at school.

Xavier has multiple pronunciations, would that bother you? I do love Constantine mentioned up thread too.

No we aren't french although we have french ancestry far back and both mine and my daughter's names are of french origin.

It's an excellent name. Love it. Probably will be 'gus' for short?

Gloop

Xavier is miles better

Hard no , Gloop immediately sprung to mind.

I see what you mean. As it's a family name I never think of Charlie and the chocolate factory in the First instance but seems like everyone else does and in a very negative light.

I have to correct people on the pronunciation of my name and my daughter's all the time so that doesn't bother me too much but would prefer if that wasnt a major each for him down the line.

I really like Augustus , although I think I like August and Augustine more.

Realistically, Roald Dahl characters are not going to be prevalent in the generation of children being born now, children's literature has moved on. And anyway, surely almost every name can be picked apart and used for playground meaness if children are determined to be nasty? My mum was told not to give me my name because of a oncd popular song but it's never been an issue, I think once or twice a lone school kid started singing it at me and laughing. I just gave them the side eye and they looked a bit of a pratt really.

My children would never make fun of other kids names. Names are so diverse in their generation, so different to when I was at school when everyone had the name ten names and if you had anything a bit different you stuck out like a sore thumb. The world has changed since Mumsnetters were at school! Way too much gets made on here of children being bullied for their name. And not enough made of whether its a suitable name for a future adult.

I didn’t automatically think Gloop but did think that is a big name to live up to. Will more than likely get shortened in some way, Gus. Don’t like August.

Xavier might have various pronunciations

Remember this is your child’s name, they are the one who ultimately has to live with it.

What the actual fuck is a “footballer name”?

You mean a name that comes from another culture, like many footballers?

Austin is much nicer

The thing is that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is not just any kids’ book, it is an iconic children’s book with a story that has stood the test of time and has universal, generational appeal.

And Augustus Gloop is a monstrous caricature and the first child to fall victim to his own greed; the image of him slurping the chocolate river is so vivid. Even a kid who hasn’t finished the story will likely have read the Augustus Gloop bit.
Add to that the fact that it features in a song/chant that is very easy to sing due to the internal rhythm of the word, and is themed with “nincompoop” and it’a just a no-go, sorry.

Foul.

I like Augustus. Augustus John comes to mind before Gloop. May be shortened to Gus, so see how you feel about that.